Concentrator.



Patented Sept. 23, |902. J. A. HLMES & J. F.VW.

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coNcENTRAToR.

A(Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.) (No Model.)

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W/ TNE SSE S Wg M4 No. 709,770. Patented Sept. 23, |902. J. A. HOLMES & J. F. W000. CUNCENTBATOR.

(Application led Oct. 2, 1901.) (No Modal.) 9 Sheets- Shut 2,

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No. 709,770. Patented Sept. 23. i902.

vJ. A. HULMES & J. F. WOOD. CONCENTRATUR.

(Applicciun f ued oct. 2, 1901.)

(No Muriel.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 709,770. Patented sept. 23, |902.

J. A. HOLMES &. J. F. woon. CONCENTRATUH.

"Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.)

(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W/ TNESSES No. 709,770. Patented Sept. 23, |902.

J. A. HOLMES O. J. F. WOOD. GONCENTRATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.) (No Model.) 9 Sheets$heet 5.

W/ TNE SSE S /N VE N 70H5.

No. 709,770. Patented sept. 23, |002. .1. A. HULMES 0, J. F. w000. CONCENTRATOB.

(Application led Oct. 2, 1901.) (No lndl.)

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f4 llaa im N "Il L a im l n l Patented Sept. 23, |902. J. A. HOLMES &, J. F. WUGD.

GONCENTRATDB.

(Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.)

(No Model.)

'9 Sheets-Sheet 7.

No. 709,770. Patented Sept. 23, |9U2. J. A. HOLMES & J. F. WOOD.

-CONGEN'TBATOR [Applicaan led Oct. 2, 1901.)

S Sheets-Sheet 8.

(No Model.)

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No. 709,770. Patented sept. 23, |902.

J. A. HnLm-:s 0. J. F. w000.

CONCENTRATon.

(Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.)

(No Model.)

9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

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JOI-IN ALLEN HOLMES, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, AND JOI-IN F. WOOD, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,770, dated September 23, 1902.

Application filed October 2, 1901. Serial No. 77,288. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may @U11/067%: Lipper portion, and said feed-trough commu- Beitknown that we, JOHN ALLEN HOLMES, nicates with the several hoppers through a of Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake throat 3l, and extended over the upper end and State of Utah, and JOHN. F. WOOD, of of each hopper is a sieve material 32, upon 55 5 Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State which is placed a filter material llt will be of Colorado, citizens of the United States, noted that the outer walls ot' the end hoppers have invented a new and Improved Ooncen- 2S extend upward, as at 34, into boxes 35 36, trator, of which the following is a full, clear, adapted to receive water flowing over these and exact description. extensions 34 to supply the water to the pans 6o lo This invention relates to improvements in or launders. Attached to the lower end of concentrators and amalgamators; and the oloeach hopper` is a pan 37, having a port 3S, ject is to provide a machine of this character adapted at certain times to communicate with by means of which all the gold or other a port 39 in a swinging valve-plate 40. Ro values may be quickly separated from the ore tary valve-plates 4l are placed upon the bot- 65 15 or pulp placed therein. tom of the pans 37, and these rotary valve- Te will describe a concentrator embodying plates 41 are provided with ports 42, adapted to our invention and then point out the novel collie into register with'the ports 38, and exfeatures in the appended claims. tended upward on each valve-plate 4l are Reference is to be had to the accompanying fingers 43, which serve as agitators for the 7o zo drawings, forminga part of this specification, pulp in the hoppers. Extended upward from in which similar characters of reference indieach rotary valve-plate 4l is a shaft 44, the cate corresponding parts in all the ligures. upper ends of the several shafts being pro- Figure l is a right-hand side elevation ol' a vided with bevel-gears 45,meshing with bevely machine embodying ourinvention. Fig. 2is gears 46 on a driving-shaft 47, to which a 75 z5 a left-hand side elevation. Fig. 8 is a front pulley 4S is attached. This pulley 4S is here end view. Fig. 4 is a rear end view. Fig. 5 shown in the forni of a cone-pulley, so that a is a longitudinal section on the line 5 5 in Fig. greater or less speed may be imparted to the o'. Fig. 6 is asection on the line t3 t3 ot' Fig. 5. shaft 47, as desired. The swinging valve- Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5. plates 40 are adjustable to more orless close 8o 3o Fig. S shows one side of the machine and also the ports 38 to regulate the discharge of matethe arrangement ot ports through which the rial to the machine. For the purpose ofadgold or values are discharged from one pan justing said plates we provide each one with into another and thence out of the machine. an adjusting-rod 4),which extends outward to Fig. i) is a plan view showing a means `for one side of the machine through a plate 50, 85 35 moving the sluice-box laterally. Fig. 10V is and on the outer end of each rod, which is a section on the line l0 l() of Fig. 13, showscrew-threaded, is au adjusting-nut 5l. The ing a system of levers for im parting the side adjusting rods 49 have pivotal connection movements to the slnice. Fig. ll is a plan with the valveplates, as indicated at 52.

view thereof. Fig. 12 is a section on the line Arranged longitudinally in the sluice-box 9o 4o l2 l2 ot' Fig. ll, and Fig. lis a section on the and one above the other are sluice-pans 53,

line 13 13 of Figs. l0 and l2. 54, 55, and 5G. These several pans are lon- The sluice-box comprises side boards 25 20, gitudinally curved, and they are alsoinclined arranged on'a reservoir 27 and adapted to from one side of the machine to the other, have both alongitudinal and a transverse the highest point being at the side where the 95 45 movement on said reservoir, as will be heregangue is discharged, the lower portion ot' inafter explained. course being at the side where the values dis- Supported on a frame 27 at the front end charge. In one side of the sluice-box are of the machine is a series of hoppers 2S, and formed the outlets torthe gangue discharging a feed-trough 2U is also supported by the from the several pans. These outlets are in- 10o 5o frame andis common toallthe hoppers. This dicated at 57 for the pau 53, 58 for the pan feed-trough 29 has a sieve material 30 in its 54, 59 for the pau 55, and 60 for the pan 5G.

These outlets are elongated and are somewhat above the edge of the pans, the purpose of which Will be hereinafter mentioned. ln the opposite side board of the sluice-box are the discharge-ports 61, 62, and 63 for the several pans, and also at this side is a port 64, through which material passes from the pan 53 to the pan 54, a port 65, through Which material passes from the pan 54 to the pan 55, and a port 66, through which material passes from the pan 55 onto the pan 56. (See Fig. 8.) The ports 61, 62, and 63 are regulated by means of valves 67, each one of which has a stem 68, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 6,) passing upward at the outer side of the sluice-boX and having its upper threaded end extended through a bracket 69, and adjusting-nuts and 71 engage with the threaded portions of the stems. Water is discharged from the box 35 onto the pans 54, 55, and 56 through a pipe 72, with Which flexible connections 73 engage, these several flexible pipes 73 ter-V minating in nozzles 74, discharging onto the said pans. (See Fig. 5.) These flexible pipesections 73 permit of the shaking movements of the sluice-box, and the water passing therethrough may be controlled by a valve 75. Water is also discharged from the box 35 onto a distributing-pan 76, arranged on the sluice-box above the pan 53. A perforated pipe 77 extends over the highest portion of this inclined distributing-pan and has a liexible pipe connection 78 with avalved pipe 79, leading from the box 35. f

It is thought that other details of construction of the machine may be more clearly brought outI by a description of the operation, as follows: Then the ore or pulp from stamps or other pulverizing machinery is dumped into the feed-trough 29, the material, which contains a certain amount of Water, fills the several hoppers 28, and a certain amount of water is separated from the pulp as said water passes out through the screen material at the upper end of the hoppers and thence through the filter material The Water passing through said filter material flows over the dams or projected upper ends 34 of the end hoppers into the boxes 35 and 36, and the Water from the box 35, as before described, passes onto the several pans in a practically clear condition. The particles of ore, coarse and tine, fall to the bottom of the hoppers, and when the rotary valves 41 are set in motion said ore is agitated and broken up, and as the ports 42 come in line with the ports 38 and 39a certain amount of ore or pulp is dis# charged onto the pan 53. This amount, of course, can be regulated by adjusting the valves 40. The ore orpulp thus discharged onto the pan is of plastic consistency, and it is carried by the movements of the machine, which, as Will be hereinafter described, will give a whirling motion to the ore, and as the ore or pulp travels down the incline of the said pan 53 and passes under the Water-distributing pan 76 an even distribution of the ore is insured, as the said pan 76 serves to keep the particles of mineral near the bottom of the pan 53. The coarse granulations of gangue are forced to the surface and discharged at the port 57, assisted by a certain amount of Water from the pan 76, and this material flows into launders 8O and 8l. The particles of lnineral and the liner granulations of ore or pulp pass ont of the valved port 61 into a launder S2, which forms by its particular construction a seal against the valve for said port 61. As indicated by the arroviT in Fig. 8, the material then passes through the port 64 onto the pan 54, where it is agitated as before, the heavier particles of gangue contained therein moving to the higher portion of the pan and discharging through the port 58 into the launder 81. The particles of mineral and ner granulations of ore passing out at the valve-opening 62 pass into a launder 83 and thence pass through the port 65 onto the plate 55, where they are treated as before, the gangue from this pan 55 discharging throughv the port 59 into a launder 84 and thence to a launder 85. The mineral separated in the pan 55 passes out through the port 63 into a launder 86, thence through the port 66 into a pan 87, arranged below the several other pans and inclined in a similar manner and Where the pulp containing mineral receives treatment as in the former pans. The water-supply forthe pan 87 is obtained through a pipe in the manner described for the other pans. The .gangue is discharged at 60 into the launder 85, While the mineral passes out through a port 88, controlled by a valve 89, operated in a similar manner to the other port-valves. From the pan 87 the mineral discharges into a receiving-pan 90, which is located in a compartment91 of the reservoir 27. It may be here stated that this receiving-pan 90 is submerged in Water contained in the tank, and the depth of this Water may be regulated by an overflovtnpipe 92. As the material passes -over the edge of the receiving-pan 90 it falls upon an inclined amalgamated plate 93, supported on a frame 94 Within the section 91 of the reservoir 27. From this plate the material passes over a trough 95, supported by said frame. This trough is provided as a holder for mercury, and from this trough the material passes intol the compartment 91 of the reservoir. The material collected in the launders 8O and 8l discharges through a port 96 onto a pan 97, and the gangue discharged from the launders 84 and 85 passes through a port 98 onto said pan 97. It Will therefore be seen that the 'discharge from the several pans is collected and re-trcated in the pan 97, and particles of mineral that escape from the preceding pans are secured and discharged at a valved aperture controlled by avalve 99, and from this valvecontrolled opening the material discharges in the Water contained in the section 101 of IOO IIO

the reservoir 27, the depth of the water being regulated by an overflow-pipe 102. From the receivingpan 100 the material flows or falls upon an amalgamated plate 103, supported in an inclined position by means of a frame 104 in the tank, and which also supports a mercury-trough 105, over which the material from the plate 103 passes. The accumulation of concentrates in the sections 91 and 101 of the reservoir 27, with the water received from the pans S7 and 97, causes the water to rise and overiiow through the pipes 92 and 102vinto a separator 106, attached to one side of the reservoir 27 The material passes into said separator beneath a screen 107, upon which is a filtering material 103 of a depth to permit the free outlet of water over the side walls 109 of said-separator into a waste-pipe 110. Water is supplied to the gangue-receiving launder 85 by means of a pipe 111, leading from the water-box 36.

It will be observed that the fine particles ot mineral are kept under water and prevented from rising to the surface from the beginning to the finishing of the operation. The outlet 92 of the section 91 of the reservoir 27 is such a distance from the inlet-pan 87 that the circulation of water is very slow, and should any particles of mineral get into the pipe 92 and thence into the separator 106 they are prevented from escaping` by the filtering material 108 and may be drawn off through the valve-controlled pipe connecting with said separator. lt will be further observed that any particles of mineral that pass with the gangue from the several pans are reworked in the pan 97 and pass into the compartment 101 01": the tank, as before described, produe ing a certain grade of concentrates,thegangue passing off over an apron 112 at the feed end of the machine. At the point where this apron 112 is located the bottom ot' the pan is provided with a longitudinal channel 113, into which a pivot-pin 114, attached to one end of the reservoir 27, passes. This pin 114 forms the pivot on which thesluice-box may swing and also upon which it may move longitudinally.

Longitudinal reciprocating motion is given to the machine by means ot' a pitman 115, having pivotal connection at one end with the sluice-box and at the opposite end with a crank-pin 116, adjustable radially7 in a slot formed in a crank-disk 117, mounted on a shaft 118, to the outer end of which a cone-pulley 119 is attached and also a handwheel 120.

As a means for imparting lateral movements to the sluice-box we employ a system of levers. (Best understood by reference to Figs. 9 to 13.) -This mechanism comprises a boxing 121, an upper arm 122, arranged at the top, and a lowerarm 123, the said arms being arranged at right angles to each other. The lower arm 123 is longitudinally slotted to receive a stud and clamping devices 124, attached to a block 125, which has a pin 126 engaging in a slot formed longitudinallyina lever 127, pivoted on a bracket 128, attached to the reservoir 27. A lever 129 is pivoted to a bracket 130, attached to the sluice-box, and the opposite end of this lever 129 is provided with a slot 131, and a pin 132, extended from the lever 127, passes into said slot 131. This pin engages in a block 133,'adapted to slide in said slot, and with this block 133 an adjusting-screw 134 engages, the said adjusting-screw operating in a tapped hole in an end wall of the slot 131. A longitudinally-slotted bracket 135 is attached to the sluice-box, and a pin 136 on the lever 122 passes into said slot. Therefore as the sluicebox is moved back and forth lengthwise the lever 122 will be rocked back and forth, causing` the arm or lever 129 to impart a transverse reciprocating motion to the sluice-boX. The amount of movement may be regulated by means of the block 125 and clamping device 124, pin 126 engaging lever 127 and the pin 132 engaging the box 133 in the slot in the lever 129. When there is no transverse motion required, by placing the block 125 in position as shown in Figs. 11 and 13 and releasing the adjusting-screw 134 the machine is thereby allowed to travel longitudinally in a straight line.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A conoentrator, comprising a sluice-box, a series of pans arranged one above another in the sluice-box, the said pans being longitudinally curved and laterally inclined, the said sluice-bos.y having openings for discharge of gangue at the higher sides ot' the pans, and openings at the lower sides of the pans for discharge of values, laundersarranged one within another and receiving material from the first-named openings and means :for im` parting a reciprocating motion both laterally and longitudinally to the sluice-boX carrying the pans, substantially as specified.

2. An ore-concentrator,comprisingasluicebox, a series of pans arranged one above another iu the sluice-box, the said pans being longitudinally curved and arranged to dischargeat 011e side from one pan to another intermediate of the ends, launders at the opposite sides in which material is discharged from the pans, means for imparting a longitudinal reciprocating motion to the sluicebox, and means comprising a shaft and a plurality ot' levers for imparting a transverse reciprocating motion to the sluiee-box, substantially as specified.

3. An ore-concentrawl-,comprisingasluicebox, a series of pans arranged one above an other in said box, the said pans being longitudinally curved and inclined laterally,valvecontrolled outlets at the lower sides of, the pans, launders for receiving material from said outletsand adapted to discharge into the pans consecutively from the second pan tothe lowerinost one, the said launders being arranged one within another, and iaunders IOO fol;

IIO-

at the opposite side for receiving the gangue from the pulp, substantially as specified.

4. An ore-concentrator,comprising a sluicebox mounted to reciprocate, a series of longitudinally-curved pans arranged one above another in vertical alinement in the sluicebox and adapted to discharge material from one pan to another, means for discharging Water upon the pans one independently of another, a divided tank on which the box is supported, and amalgamatingd evices in the tank,

-substantially as specified.

box one above another, a series of hoppers arranged above the feed end of the sluice-box and having outlet-ports through the bottoms, valves for regulating said outlet-ports, means for operating said regulating-valves, rotary Valves for opening and closing said ports, means for simultaneously operating all of said rotary valves, and agitators carried by said rotary valves, substantially as specified.

7. An ore-concentrator, comprisinga sluicebox, means for imparting reciprocating motion to said sluice-box, a series of pans arranged one above another in said box, a series of hoppers arranged above the feed end ofthe sluice-box, each hopper having a dischargeopening in its bottom, a valve for regulating the opening in said port, rotary valves in the hoppers and having ports adapted to move into register with the ports in the bottom of the hoppers, shafts extended upward from said rotary valves, a driving-shaft, and gear connections between said driving-shaft and the valve-shafts, substantially as specified.

8. Anore-concentrator,comprisingasluicebox, a series of pans arranged one above another in said box, a series of hoppers placed above the feed end of said sluice-box, means for opening and closing discharge-openings through the bottoms of said hoppers, a filter material arranged in the upper portion of the hoppers, Water-boxes for receiving water passing through the Iilter material, and means for conveying water from one of said boxes to the pans, substantially as specified.

9. An ore-concentrator,comprisingasluicebox, means for imparting a longitudinal reciprocating motion to said box, a series of pans arranged in said box one above another, the said pans being longitudinally curved and inclined laterally, discharge-openings through aside Wall of the box at the highest side of the pans, discharge and inlet openings at the opposite side of the box, a reservoir upon which the box moves, receiving-pans carried by the box and adapted to be submerged in the water contained in said reservoir, inclined amalgamated plates for receiving material from said receiving-pans, the said plates being arranged in the reservoir, and mercurytroughs supported below said plates, substan tially as specified.

10. An ore concentrator, comprising a sluice-box, means for imparting a longitudinal reciprocating motion to said box, means -for imparting a transverse reciprocating motion to said box, a tank on which the box moves and into which the-values finally discharge from the pans, longitudinally-curved pans arranged one above another in the box, means for supplying pulp to the uppermost pan, a water-distributing pan extended over the uppermost pan, and a perforated pipe for discharging water onto said Water-pan, substantially as specified.

Vll.y An ore concentrator, comprising a sluice-box, having both a longitudinal and a transverse motion, a series of longitudinally curved pans arranged one above another in said box and adapted to discharge material at one side one upon anotherand to discharge gangue at the opposite side, means for discharging water upon the several pans, a reservoir upon which the sluice-box m'oves,'the said reservoir being divided into two compartments, inclined amalgamated plates arranged in the compartments of the reservoir and adapted to receive values from the pans, overflow-pipes for the compartments, a separator for receiving the overflow, a sieve material in the upper portion of the separator,

`and a filter on said sieve material, substantially as specified.

12. An ore concentrator, comprising a sluice-box, means for imparting reciprocating motion to said sluice-box, a series ot' pans arranged one above another in said box, the said pans being longitudinally curved and inclined transversely, the sluice-box having discharge-openings and inlet-openings at one side,valves for the outlet-openings, means 'for adjusting the valves, and launders arranged one within another for receiving material from the higher sides of the pans, said material discharging through openings in a side of the box, substantially as specified.

13. An ore concentrator, comprisinga sluice-box,means forimparting motion to said sluice-box, a series of pans arranged one above another in said box, the said pans being longitudinally curved and inclined transversely, launders arranged von the sluice-box one within another and adapted to receive material from the pans at the higher side, and launders at the opposite side of the sluice-box and adapted to receive values from the lower sides of the pans and to discharge material received from one pan to the next lower pan, substantially as specified.

14. In a concentrator, a sluice-box, means IOO IIO

for imparting longitudinal reciprocating motion to Said sluiee-box, means for imparting transverse reciprocating motion to said box, a series of pans arranged one above another in the boX, a reservoir on which the sluicebox is mounted to move, said reservoir being divided into two compartments, launders for receiving material discharged from one side of the pans, a pipe for discharging water into said launders, launders at the opposite side for receiving values from the pans, and amalgamated plates arranged in the compartments of the reservoir for receiving values from the lowerinost pans, substantially as specified.

l5. An ore ooncentrator, comprising a sluieebox,means for imparting motion to said sluice-box, aseries of pans arranged oneabove another in said box, a series of feed-hoppersl arranged above the feed end of the box, valves in the hopper and carrying agitators, Waterreceiving troughs for receiving water discharged over the up Wardly-extended wall portion ofthe end hoppers, and means for conveying water from said boxes to the machine, substantially as specified.

16. An ore concentrator, comprising a sluice-box, a series of pans arranged one above another in said sluice-box, the said pans being longitudinally curved and inclined transversely, means for directing water to the pans, a series of hoppers, a feed-trough common to all the hoppers and having a sieve in its upper portion, means for controlling the discharge of pulp from said hoppers onto the uppermost pan, a filter in each hopper, and a receiver for water passing through said filters, substantially as specified.

17. An ore-eoncentrator, comprising a reservoir, a sluice-box mounted on the reservoir, means for imparting a longitudinal reciprocating motion to the box, and means for imparting lateral movement to the box, comprising a shaft, a sliding connection between said shaft and the boX, a lever connection between the lower portion of the shaft and the box, an arm extended from the lower portion of the shaft and having pivotal connection with a xed support, and a slotted arm above the first-named arm, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our naines to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOI-IN ALLEN HOLMES. JOHN F. WOOD.

Witnesses:

JOHN I-I. MORROW, F. W. HAZARD. 

